Author: News

Bolshoi Ballet Romps in Sword Dancer

A return to the state of New York proved just the right tonic for Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who snapped a nine-race skid in winning Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S., getting his picture taken for the first time since the 2021 GI Belmont Derby some 25 months ago.  Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) rallied belatedly for second ahead of longshot Pioneering Spirit (American Pharoah) in third.

It was more or less a straight line out of the gates before Channel Maker (English Channel), making a sixth straight appearance in the race, kicked on beneath Manny Franco to make the running in advance of Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up making his first start for Chad Brown. John Velazquez, tabbed by Team Ballydoyle, settled Bolshoi Ballet inside in the second flight of horses and enjoyed a comfortable passage with cover following Channel Maker wherever he went.

There were few changes to the running order through six furlongs in 1:15.93, but Flavien Prat decisively sent Stone Age into the lead fully five-eighths of a mile from home. Determined not to let the chalk get too far in front, Velazquez slipped Bolshoi Ballet a bit of rein and took the race to Stone Age, counting on Bolshoi Ballet to prove the superior stayer. Stone Age battled on best he could, but Bolshoi Ballet gave him the slip in upper stretch and kicked home a comfortable winner.

“We had a great trip. Great trip,” the winning jockey commented. “The trainer told me to come out of the gate running, get him as close as you can, but give him a little break for the first half of the race. After there, the last half of the race, make sure I keep him busy. That's the way it worked out.”

Fourth in the GI Saratoga Derby and sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in 2021, Bolshoi Ballet was fourth in a single appearance at four in the Listed Churchill S. at Lingfield. Third in the Listed Vintage Crop S. over a mile and six furlongs at Navan Apr. 22, he filled the same spot in Newbury's G3 Al Rayyan S. at 12 panels May 20. A good second in the Listed Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot June 20, the bay was beaten over 21 lengths in sixth as a 125-1 chance when last seen in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. back at Ascot July 29.

Pedigree Notes:

One of 99 Group 1/Grade I winners worldwide for the immortal Galileo, Bolshoi Ballet is not only kin to the good stayer Southern France, but also to What Say You (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose daughter Editor At Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) carried the colors of Peter Brant to a third-place effort in the 2020 GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park.

Alta Anna is a half-sister to French Group 3 winner and G1 Prix de Diane third Abbatiale (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}), the dam of four-time Group 3 winner Bewitched (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), and is also responsible for the maiden 3-year-old filly Gulf Pearl (Ire) (No Nay Never) and a weanling colt by Camelot (GB).

Saturday, Saratoga race Course
RESORTS WORLD CASINO SWORD DANCER S.-GI, $750,000, Saratoga, 8-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:29.29, yl.
1–BOLSHOI BALLET (IRE), 120, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Alta Anna (Fr), by Anabaa
                2nd Dam: Anna Edes (Fr), by Fabulous Dancer
                3rd Dam: Abbey (Fr), by Jim French
'TDN Rising Star'. O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-John R. Velazquez. $412,500. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 17-5-1-3, $1,333,959. *Full to Southern France (Ire), GSW-Aus, GSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $645,262. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Soldier Rising (GB), 120, g, 5, Frankel (GB)–Sahrawi (Ger), by Pivotal (GB). (240,000gns RNA Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, Bailey, Morris, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso; B-Dayton Investments Ltd. (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $150,000.
3–Pioneering Spirit, 120, g, 4, American Pharoah–Foundation Spirit, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; 100,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-A. Bianco Holding Limited; B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Linda Rice. $90,000.
Margins: 4HF, 5HF, 1. Odds: 5.50, 2.45, 4.00.
Also Ran: Daunt, Stone Age (Ire), Channel Maker. Scratched: Verstappen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Bolshoi Ballet Romps in Sword Dancer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Echo Zulu Completes Gun Runner Grade I Sprint Double

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds's Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), second to Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) when that one solidified her champion female sprinter honors in last year's GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, asserted her position atop that division this year with a convincing tally over that same rival in Saturday's GI Ballerina H. at Saratoga. She was also the second Grade I winner for her connections sired by Gun Runner on the card.

An Eclipse winner herself in 2021 with a perfect four-for-four 2-year-old season that included romping victories in the track-and-trip GI Spinaway S. and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy unveiling at the Spa, the bay took the GII Fair Grounds Oaks last March upon seasonal debut. She could only manage fourth in a strong running of the GI Kentucky Oaks, however, and when she resurfaced in September it was in Churchill's seven-furlong GIII Dogwood S., which she took by more than five lengths. Giving a good account of herself in her first attempt against older rivals at the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, she'd been absolutely dominant in two prior appearances this year–in the GIII Winning Colors S. under the Twin Spires May 29, and when earning a gaudy 112 Beyer Speed Figure when 7 1/4 lengths clear in the GII Honorable Miss H. July 26.

Off at 3-5 to Goodnight Olive's 2-1 with nobody else close in the market, Echo Zulu was somewhat surprisingly out-footed by her main rival in the first few strides before taking the narrowest of leads from Goodnight Olive through splits of :22.45 and :45.23. They hit the top of the lane more or less on even terms, but Echo Zulu quickly found another gear to settle matters by 2 1/2 lengths.

“She was picking it up nicely when I asked her to,” said winning rider Florent Geroux. “Felt like I was in control pretty much all the way through the race, and when I asked her turning for home, she gave me this other gear… She's amazing. I'm just very grateful for the opportunity the owners and Steve Asmussen have given me to ride her. She's a champion and I'm just the lucky pilot.”

Asmussen, who was celebrating his second win in the Ballerina and first since Lady Tak in 2004, added, “We were extremely confident in how she's been doing. She's dotted all the 'i's' and crossed all the 't's'. She was unbelievable coming out of her last race and coming into this. Just had a tremendous amount of confidence that she would do exactly how she did.

Of the match-up with Goodnight Olive, the Hall of Famer said, “Someone asked me, 'How do you see it?' and I said, 'Well I assure you that we have respect for each other.' That's how it ought to be. That's what makes these races so great. The development that she has shown is so much like her father Gun Runner. The longer you had him, the faster he was and that's how she's been. As great as she ran in the Honorable Miss and coming out of her first triple-digit Beyer, you're confidence was it was a prep. She's four-for-four here at Saratoga and has another Grade I win on her resume. Obviously, she's as fast as a horse can go.”

Co-owner Ron Winchell noted, “Last year we were trying to get her ready and kind of push her into getting into the Breeders' Cup, and it wasn't like she was 100% fit. Coming to this year, we had enough time to get her right, and now we are here today where we think she is at her best. We will worry about [Breeders' Cup plans] tomorrow.”

Saturday, Saratoga Racecourse
BALLERINA H.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 8-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:20.95, my.
1–ECHO ZULU, 123, f, 4, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Letgomyecho (GSW, $136,200), by Menifee
                2nd Dam: Echo Echo Echo, by Eastern Echo
                3rd Dam: Kashie West, by Sir Ivor
($300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-L and N Racing LLC and Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Betz/J. Betz/Burns/CHNNHK/Magers/CoCo Equine/Ramsby (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Florent Geroux. $275,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Filly, 11-9-1-0, $2,640,375. *1/2 to Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song), GSP, $253,478; 1/2 to J Boys Echo (Mineshaft), GSW, $377,543; 1/2 to Echo Town (Speightstown), GISW, $410,020. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Goodnight Olive, 124, m, 5, by Ghostzapper
                1st Dam: Salty Strike (MGSW, $485,266), by Smart Strike
                2nd Dam: Lake Huron, by Salt Lake
                3rd Dam: My Rainbow, by Lyphard
($170,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT). O-First Row Partners and Team Hanley; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Chad Brown. $100,000.
3–Matareya, 122, f, 4, by Pioneerof the Nile
1st Dam: Innovative Idea (GSW, $229,343), by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Golden Velvet, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Caress, by Storm Cat
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
Margins: 2HF, 6 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.60, 2.20, 9.30.
Also Ran: Caramel Swirl, Dr B, Sterling Silver, Maryquitecontrary. Scratched: Wicked Halo.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

Pedigree Notes:

Echo Zulu added to an extremely productive week for her sire (see coverage of the Forego for more), and two races later her stablemate Disarm (Gun Runner) nearly capped things off with a victory in the GI Travers S., settling for second after some traffic trouble.

The winner's dam Letgomyecho took all three of her sprint starts, including the 2005 GII Forward Gal S., and last sold for $135,000 in foal to Congrats at KEENOV '11. She has since produced four graded performers and another multiple stakes-placed runner, including L and N Racing's Echo Town (Speightstown), winner of the GI Runhappy H. Allen Jerkens S. on this card and at this track and trip in 2020–he has first yearlings this season; and 2017 GIII Gotham S. hero J Boys Echo (Mineshaft). Letgomyecho's last reported foal is unraced 3-year-old filly Doing Justice (American Pharoah), who fetched $1.4 million at the 2021 Keeneland September sale. Half of Menifee's six graded winners as a broodmare sire are out of Letgomyecho.

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Noted Rolls Late To Take Monmouth’s Sapling

If there was a disadvantage to Noted having yet to try the dirt prior to Saturday's $206,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, it was offset by the son of Cairo Prince being the only starter in the nine-horse field to have already gone two turns.

The dirt was never an issue, the two-turn experience proved invaluable and Noted – trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stable – hinted at bigger and better things to come after pulling away to a one-length victory in the 89th edition of the Sapling Stakes.

Sixth in the early going of the one-mile feature for 2-year-olds, and then seventh at the half, Noted was nudged outside by jockey Jairo Rendon and got rolling midway through the turn, collaring favorite Dornoch, a full brother to Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage, in midstretch. It was another nine lengths back to Frankie's Empire in third.

The winning time was 1:38.91.

The Kentucky-bred Noted came in off a victory going 1 1/16 miles on the grass at Saratoga on July 22. He was second in his debut at five furlongs on the grass at Belmont Park on June 22.

“He has always trained well on the dirt, and obviously he has run two really good races on the turf, so we weren't concerned with this being his first dirt race,” said Stu Hampson, who oversees Pletcher's division at Monmouth Park. “Having a good 2-year-old and the opportunity to come here on dirt is always going to be appealing, especially with the bigger races coming up on dirt in the future, and everyone always dreams about the first Saturday in May as well. So we wanted to give him his fair shot on the dirt.

“He did his part today. We'll see what the next step is. That's up to Todd.”

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, Noted was a $200,000 purchase from his breeder at the Keeneland September 2022 sale. His dam is the Proud Citizen mare Sea View Millie.

Noted paid $14.20 to win in recording his first career stakes triumph.

“Yes, it was his first time on the dirt but they put him in here for a reason,” said Rendon. “I'm pretty sure they liked him so I had confidence going in even though I didn't know anything about this horse. I haven't even breezed him. But you don't worry about that with Todd Pletcher horses.”

With Give It A Whirl setting the early fractions of :23.27 and :47.49, Rendon was content to stay back. Dornoch, the 3-2 favorite, made his move early in the final turn, with 2-1 second choice Crazy Mason dropping back quickly and eventually finishing eighth. Dornoch had command until Noted came firing four-wide around the turn and surged to a clear lead in mid-stretch.

“He has never had dirt in his face, so when he got some dirt in his face he dropped back a little,” said Rendon. “I decided to get him outside so he could stay clear of that. I know (Dornoch) is a good horse. I had him in my sights and kept my horse outside coming home and he was really traveling well when I asked him.

“One thing I didn't have to worry about with the distance because he has already gone two turns. That is always an advantage for a 2-year-old in a race like this.”

Hampson agreed that the two-turn experience made a difference.

“Even with the two starts – the favorite (Dornoch) only had one start under his belt. It's especially important with 2-year-olds, the more experience you have it certainly is to your advantage,” said Hampson. “Being the only horse in the field to try two turns already certainly was an advantage. Jairo Rendon did a beautiful job of letting the horse find his rhythm. I think he could sense they were doing plenty in front of him and then he got him to go on a pretty long, sustained run from the half-mile pole in.”

The post Noted Rolls Late To Take Monmouth’s Sapling appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Rafeef Colt Tops BSA August 2yo Sale

During the first session of the BSA August Two-Year-Old Sale, a colt by Rafeef (SAf) topped proceedings at R1 million to Jonathan Snaith.

Part of the Wilgerbosdrift draft, the bay has already been named Aristotle (SAf) and is out of the Ford Wood mare Athina (SAf). The dam won the G1 SA Fillies Classic and is a relative to Grade 1 winner Heir Apparent (SAf) (Fort Wood).

Of the 137 lots offered, 127 sold (93%) for a gross of R25,905,000. The average was R203,976 and the median was R150,000.

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